Centurion Mk 13

DANILOG · 30 November 2023 16:30

Hey

I have just build a UK Centurion Mk 13, I used a Centurion Mk 5 from AFV-Club and a lot of Scorpion Models (SMM) convertion parts to make it into a Mk 13. Now i just want a list of License plate numbers i can use for my Centurion. I will use decals from different British tanks for the license plates.
There are not many photo of Mk 13 on the internet, were the camoflaged or plain green. ???

Best regards
Kjeld Pedersen
Denmark

Michael_Orsbourn · 30 November 2023 18:43

Hi Kjeld

most mk13 were from Mk8 builds and the Mk10 builds the main difference is only in the engine deck , if you used the chevron engine deck MK10 when built then they were Mk10 upgraded to 13 in which case these known mk13 04CC92,04CC87,04CC85,05CC01,05CC00,05CC04 , these following ones were mk10 when served in ADEN but would have been upgraded to Mk13 02DA87,02DA94.02DA95,02,DA96
also you can use NATO green and Black , actually 04CC85 became a 105 mm AVRE by having a mine plough fitted and used for driver training has well , loved driving that tank . up until Gulf War 1, then went to Duxford.
they were a rare tank in Uk service
last centurion built Mk10 03DA02 seen in Aden
also remember a lot of them went to Sweden
hope this helps Ossie

BootsDMS · 30 November 2023 18:44

Kjeld,

For a German-based Centurion (ie British Army of the Rhine), you can either finish it in a gloss Deep Bronze Green (I use a Revell enamel No 65 with a gloss varnish) or, post 1971, the well known black and green finish (for the latter, in 1:35, I tend to utilise Tamiya Field Grey and a Revell enamel “Anthracite” No 9).

To be honest, the colours described would also be appropriate for a UK-based vehicle but see below(!)

If you’re pursuing actual registrations then that’s a whole new world of pain as it will tie you in to a specific regiment, and then you’ll have to work out when it had Mk 13s, and where it was at the time. Good luck with that(!)

I can’t quite remember when Mk 13s came on the scene, but markings -wise it will also require extensive research not least for the Unit Identification Numbers (small white numbers displayed front and rear, normally separated by an oblique stroke which would indicate a specific unit - and parent formation).

Probably best you identify a specific vehicle in a photograph and go from there.

Good luck. 'Would love to see the model whether painted or not.

BootsDMS · 30 November 2023 19:11

Just to acknowledge Ossie’s input: there are of course, other options (for the finish) than NATO’s Central region - which rightly or wrongly I tend to fixate on(!) As he mentions, the Gulf, Aden etc were all host to Centurions in various differing camouflage finishes.